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Individual Consequences of Racial Disproportionality and Disparities

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Racial Disproportionality and Disparities in the Child Welfare System

Part of the book series: Child Maltreatment ((MALT,volume 11))

Abstract

This chapter focuses on an important question that has been relatively unexplored within child welfare literature: What are the individual-level consequences of disproportionality and disparities in the child welfare system? A comprehensive assessment of the consequences of disproportionality and disparity is presented by exploring (a) the distinct challenges of being place in foster care and navigating the system as a child of color and (b) the ways in which race/ethnicity may interact with or shape foster care experiences for overrepresented children of color. A racial lens is applied to examine the individual-level consequences of involvement in the child welfare system specifically for African American children. As such, this chapter explains how, for overrepresented children of color, the consequences of disproportionality and disparities extend beyond the adverse outcomes that are typically associated with a history of maltreatment or the experience of foster care placement. The utility of both intersectional and life course perspectives for understanding consequences are emphasized, and they are applied to demonstrate how disparities across systems can create compound disadvantages for African American youth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Reiko Boyd

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  1. Reiko Boyd
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  1. Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Alan J. Dettlaff

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Boyd, R. (2021). Individual Consequences of Racial Disproportionality and Disparities. In: Dettlaff, A.J. (eds) Racial Disproportionality and Disparities in the Child Welfare System. Child Maltreatment, vol 11. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54314-3_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54314-3_12

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